16 
HO USE & GARDEN 
Delphinium bicolor illustrates 
some of the larkspur varia¬ 
tions. Its colors are blue with 
a touch of pale yellow or white 
The old formosum type is 
hard to equal as a satisfying 
and wonderfully dainty sort 
that stands the test of time 
M ANY plants have blossoms 
that are called blue, and 
some have blossoms that really are 
this color—but nothing that grows 
is a bluer blue, nor a truer blue, 
than the flowers of the hardy del¬ 
phiniums. And no other blue 
flowered plant is as regal in habit 
as the delphinium—which counts 
for a great deal in the garden. 
The modesty of the violet may 
■captivate the imagination; but 
flower, modesty and all are in 
.grave danger of being overlooked Tp, e 
altogether when brought into com- tion 
petition with less shrinking asso¬ 
ciates. The garden, indeed, is no 
place for shrinking and hanging back. 
Rather it is like a great city where each 
resident must be up and doing and assert¬ 
ing himself, if he would maintain his cit¬ 
izenship. 
So always the hardy larkspur has been 
to me the blue flower, although it does not 
•occupy quite this unique position, perhaps, 
in the perennial world. There are, for 
•example, veronicas, which are blue; and 
•monkshood—the deadly nightshade, not safe 
to plant where youngsters are about, lest 
they be tempted to eat of its fruits; and 
the lovely alkanet; and certain columbines; 
and some few others, truly blue. But for 
one reason or another, none of them is 
quite the larkspur’s equal. It is distinctly 
and without question the blue flower. 
Some Botanical Distinctions 
Botanically, larkspur or delphinium—we 
must use its botanical name, of course—be¬ 
longs to that seemingly endless order called 
rannnculacece by the learned; the crow¬ 
foot family of the vernacular. This means 
that they are relatives of the peonies, and 
■of the marsh marigolds and the globe flow¬ 
ers, as well as of the monkshood and the 
hardy delphiniums fulfill two conditions whose com 
is rare: flowers of bluest blue, and a habit of gr 
that is truly regal 
Cut flower stems back to the ground as fast as 
the flowers fade, work in a tablespoonful of bone- 
meal around each plant, and larkspurs will bloom 
until fall 
columbines and some eighteen others bear¬ 
ing not so perceptible a resemblance to 
them. All of which is very confusing and 
seems rather silly, unless you are a botanist. 
But, sticking to the book and going a step 
farther, we do come to something that it 
is very useful to know about them— 
something that begins to lead us toward 
that intelligent culture of them which 
alone can satisfy a real gardener. It is 
simply that there are two classes, just 
as there are with any number of things— 
annual and perennial. And no need of go¬ 
ing to the botanists to find this out, al¬ 
though it is the first thing they take it upon 
themselves to tell us. 
In addition to this classification, the 
learned men avow that there are three col¬ 
ors, in a state of nature—red, yellow and 
blue ranging to white; and thus are ex¬ 
plained the shades away from pure blue 
that are found in the developed 
flowers of today. Mauves and 
lavenders are very common—and 
to my mind, not highly desirable in 
larkspur. Let us have them in 
pure blue as long as they exist in 
this rare color. 
Choose therefore from hybrids 
which show only this, or from 
the species which do—unless you 
prefer the hint of red shining 
through. In one or two instances 
this is very beautiful; but it is 
bina- quite possible to get so far towards 
owth the lavender that the wonderful 
brilliance of which these plants 
are capable is entirely lost. Guard 
against selections that will result in such 
loss, for it would be a real one. 
Larkspur from Seed 
Perennial larkspur is as easily raised from 
seed as any annual in the catalogues. In¬ 
deed I am sure that there are few seedlings 
of any kind, either annual or perennial, that 
will endure the careless handling and neg¬ 
lect to which larkspur seedlings have been 
subjected to in my own garden—unavoid¬ 
ably, let me hasten to add. It has been 
claimed by some that unless the seed is 
perfectly new—that is, unless it is planted 
the same summer that it is produced—it is 
not likely to germinate; but I have never 
been able to find seed that would not! 
Sow them indoors if you want plants 
that will bloom the same summer, in little 
boxes—cigar boxes are just right, being 
very easily handled—in a light, ordinary 
soil, any time between February first and 
the end of March. Transplant the seed¬ 
lings when they are up to a height of 
or when they have made a couple of leaves, 
above the cotyledons—setting them at this 
time about 3" apart, if you are using flats 
or more of the cigar boxes. If you are put- 
